Copious amounts of fabric, rolling racks full of clothes and piles of buttons fill the Express Design Studios in New York City.

The Fashion Student Organization recently had the opportunity to visit the big-name studio to see designers and merchandisers at work.

“You feel like you are in a place where trends happen and in a place with energy,” said FSO President Gretchen Greenwood. “The Express studio is just fresh and vibrant. It’s like the feeling you get when you walk into a store.”

Greenwood helped organize FSO’s trip to New York City.

“I wanted it to be something we all understood and all know,” she said about how she decided on Express. “The students here know Express. We shop Express, and pretty much everyone loves Express.”

Kelly Weseling, junior fashion merchandising major, reflected on her experience with the brand and her visit to the studio.

“I admire that Express tries to take high fashion concepts and break it down for people – ready-to-wear, everyday clothes,” she said.

Fashion Design and Merchandising Professor William Perrine attended the studios along with his students.

“It was interesting for the students to see how it really works, and it is not just people sitting around and sketching wonderful things.” he said.

Greenwood also noticed elements she teaches in her classes that were present at the studio.

“Everything that we learned in apparel analysis and product development was there. Everything we learned in forecasting too,” she said. “We saw the swatches and the inspiration boards – it was all there.”

Perrine discussed how important it was for students to witness what they are learning in the real world.

“Hopefully it reinforces the stuff that all of us are teaching because this is how it really works,” he said.

Contact the School of Fashion Design and Merchandising reporter Sarah Blei at [email protected].